"The mayor clearly wants the pool saved and all the councillors think this a special place. It is more the interplay between them and political point-scoring that will prevent funds being spent on the Dawny."

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However, the effects of climate change pose a greater threat to the heritage-listed pool, according to Greens councillor Rochelle Porteous.

"Local councils will be increasingly facing these kind of costs as not just our pools and recreational infrastructure in low-lying areas and on the coast are inundated more severely on a more regular basis, but also our roads, sewerage systems and utilities infrastructure are put at risk of inundation," she said.

"This requires resources which are beyond the capacity of all local councils and the state government needs to step up."

Lifeguard Darren Thorne braves the cool waters of the Dawn Fraser Baths, which require millions of dollars of repairs due, in part, to the effects of climate change, according to Inner West councillor Rochelle Porteous.Credit:Brook Mitchell

Situated on a harbour peninsula at Elkington Park in Balmain, the Dawn Fraser Baths feature a tidal salt water pool and is home to Australia’s oldest swimming club. Built in the 1880s, the Baths are Australia's oldest existing public pool, according to the Inner West Council.

But the heritage-listed pool - renamed in the 1960s after local Olympic champion Dawn Fraser who learnt to swim there - requires millions of dollars of urgent repairs, such as raising the boardwalk and pavilions to overcome sea level rises.

Climate change has long been identified as a major challenge for local governments, but was given a low priority by the NSW government in its 2018-19 budget.

Cr Porteous said a substantial part of the $6.7 million cost of repairing the baths was due to the impact of climate change through rising sea levels.

"We had a king tide in January of this year and the kiosk and amenities including the toilets were inundated, which means we have to raise the whole structure so that we prevent future inundation," she said.

A water polo squad at Dawn Fraser Baths in 1985.Credit:Fairfax Media

A hydraulic engineer told the council seawater inundation would occur more often because of rising sea levels, Cr Porteous added.

Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne said the baths would not be safe for public use within a couple of years without the $6.7 million of "urgent works".

The council endorsed a draft master plan for the pool, which is on public exhibition until September 28, at a meeting in August as well as seeking a $4.2 million sports grant from the state government.

But a majority of councillors voted against transferring more than $1 million from the Balmain Heritage Town Square project. Cr Byrne said this had left a $2.2 million shortfall.

"I think that failing to fund the restoration now is reckless and risks our most precious heritage asset falling into permanent disrepair," he said.

However Cr Porteous said: "Both projects are equally important to the Balmain community and we don't think one project should be pitted against another when we can and should do both."

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She said there were a number of alternatives to fund the pool upgrade, including sports and heritage grants from the state government and reallocating funds from other infrastructure projects.

Jamie Parker, the Greens member for Balmain, said the state government should "step up to support local councils to adapt to the impact of climate change and simply not leave the costs to be carried exclusively by local ratepayers."

A spokesman for the Office of Local Government said investment in pools was a matter for local councils. But a spokeswoman for the Office of Environment and Heritage said grants were available to councils to address climate change risks.